1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems. More specifically, but without limitation, the present disclosure relates to managing response data within information handling systems.
2. Background Information
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Within an information handling system (IHS), a command may be issued by a controller to a receiving device or subsystem (e.g., blade) as part of an overall system diagnostic or self-test. The primary or host controller issuing the command waits for a response indicating the completion of the test, typically in the form of pass or failure information. In some cases, the response may be delayed based on the type or configuration (e.g., speed of a microprocessor or quantity of onboard memory) of the receiving device or the test requirements of multiple devices in a subsystem. Following a time period of no response from the receiving device, the host controller issuing the command may invoke a mechanism to account for a delayed response such as a timeout or hung test.
Currently, it is uncertain how much time elapses before a command (e.g., test command or diagnostic function) at a system level will return a response. A controller issuing a test command may receive a progress indicator periodically indicating that the test is stilt running and no timeout is yet generated. Alternatively, a host controller issuing a test command may wait for the completion of the test with no indicator of progress. Presently, in systems where a primary or a host controller attempts a diagnostic run on one of its subsystems, there is no communication between devices of the different system levels to provide feedback on the length of time for a response or timeout, therefore the host controller must wait for an arbitrary timeout. This may result in a loss of productivity and time on the part of an IHS user. Thus, a need remains for apparatus, systems, methods and media for accumulating and/or computing responses to test commands of devices and subsystems to provide a cumulative timeout value for an IHS.